


There's No Cat

by holtzbabe



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-29 00:04:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7662388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holtzbabe/pseuds/holtzbabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erin and Holtzmann aren't as subtle as they think they are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There's No Cat

It’s a quiet day at the firehouse. There have been no ghost calls all day. Kevin has been staring at a poster on the wall for hours. Abby is working on the updated version of _Ghosts from Our Past_ that they’re slated to publish later this year. Patty is typing away at the book she’s writing about the paranormal history of NYC. Erin is trying to solve a long equation at her chalkboard, rubbing away mistakes with her hand because she lost her eraser. Holtzmann is upstairs working on something or another, and the silence is punctuated by crashes and bangs and the sound of metal clanging together. It’s distracting in an endearing way.

Around lunchtime, Holtzmann flies down the fire pole with a whoosh and a thump when her boots hit the linoleum. “I’m gonna go get us some grub,” she says. “I need someone to help me carry it back. Erin?” She tacks this last part on smoothly, casually.

Erin drops her chalk onto the tray. “Sure,” she says, probably too quickly. She pulls her coat on and follows the engineer out the door.

They’ve been gone all of three seconds when Patty spins in her chair to face Abby. “This is getting ridiculous.”

Abby shakes her head. “It’s like they’re not even trying to be subtle any more.”

“Seriously. They’ve gotta be doing it on purpose, right? ‘Cause if that’s their idea of stealth, then maybe they should rethink hunting ghosts for a living.”

“I don’t know. Knowing the two of them, they probably think they’re being class A ninjas.”

In fact, that’s exactly what Holtzmann and Erin think. It hasn’t occurred to them that their secret relationship isn’t quite so secret. They’re too confident in their sneaking around abilities to notice the eye rolls and smirks and head shakes that are directed around them every day. And, maybe, a little too distracted by each other as well.

When they get back from getting food (only one plastic bag to carry—Abby’s right, it’s like they’re not even trying), Patty has to stifle her laughter into her elbow at the sight of the dusty chalk handprints all up and down Holtz’ blazer.

It gets worse. They didn’t think it was possible, but it happens. Erin comes up with a million excuses a day to go up to the second floor and she returns with her hair ruffled and sometimes with her shirt buttoned up the wrong way, with a far-off look in her eyes. Sometimes they have to call her name several times before she snaps out of her reverie. Whenever they’re all together, Holtzmann’s flirting reaches cringe-worthy proportions, with Erin giggling like a schoolgirl in response. In the beginning, Abby and Patty weren’t sure that they’d be able to tell when the two finally started dating, because they had been dancing around each other in a hormone-fueled, lovesick craze since they met, but it had been so obvious when it happened that they could pinpoint the exact day. It was all in how they interacted with each other. One day they couldn’t stop smiling at each other and Holtzmann’s flirting had switched from ‘I want you’ to ‘I have you.’

One day, Erin and Holtzmann are gone (their excuse had been so nonsensical as they ran out the door that neither of them could even repeat it) and Abby and Patty are sitting at the table eating lunch and musing.

“Where do you think they’ve done it? The lab, obviously,” Abby says as she takes a bite from her sandwich.

Patty nods. “Holtzy’s worktable.”

“I’m surprised they haven’t blown anything up in the process.”

“They probably have.”

Abby sips at her drink. “What about the back of the hearse?”

“Oh, hell no. That’s messed up. Not only the dead body thing, but the fact that we use that. Man. If they stain the seats, they’re gonna be the ones paying my uncle back. I got in enough trouble for the last one being destroyed.”

They stumble in later—red faced, makeup smudged, hair mussed, and out of breath—and Abby leans over. “At what point do we tell them that the cat’s out of the bag?”

“I dunno. I’m enjoying watching them pretend that there is no cat. Even though we can hear it yowling. I wonder how long they’re gonna keep this up.”

Abby snorts.

One day, any plans to let the lovebirds squirm are tossed out the window when there’s a loud crash and the sound of breaking glass from upstairs.

Abby can’t take it any more. “I know what you guys are doing up there,” she shouts, “and that’s all well and good, but you NEED to stop breaking equipment in the process. I don’t think the mayor’s office will approve the replacement of broken materials if we tell them that it was a sex accident.”

There’s silence upstairs. A minute or two pass and then they come down the stairs. Erin’s as red as the exterior of the firehouse, and Holtz is grinning madly.

“How long have you known?” Erin says quietly, her hand gripping Holtzmann’s bicep.

“Since the day you got together.” Patty cracks up.

Soon they’re all laughing, and then Abby demands to know all the details that they’ve been waiting to hear.

“Except any details about inappropriate activities in the back of the hearse,” Patty amends.

Erin and Holtzmann exchange an abashed glance, and Patty’s horrified reaction sends them all into fits of laughter again.

**Author's Note:**

> I know that there's already been several secret relationship fics but I couldn't resist adding to the noise. Hope you enjoyed! Once again, I'm taking Holtzbert prompts (here or on Tumblr--holtzmannerin). Comments and kudos appreciated and loved!


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